Home Office

Electronic Warfare

Dr  Dan Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle global cyber terrorism.

Mr Ben  Wallace: In November 2016 the Government published a new five year National Cyber Security Strategy, which is supported by £1.9billion of transformational investment which includes a programme of active cyber defence; the creation of the National Cyber Security Centre, and a dedicated ability to counter-attack in cyber space.The Home Office works closely with both the National Cyber Security Programme and the National Cyber Security Centre to ensure that we have a consistent and joined up understanding of, and approach to the terrorist cyber threat. As set out in the Gracious speech, our counter-terrorism strategy will be reviewed. We will look at our whole counter-terrorism approach across Government, police, local authorities and the security services to ensure they have what they need to protect our country.

Drugs: Counterfeit Manufacturing

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) websites have been shut down, (b) goods have been seized, (c) arrests have been made and (d) medicine units have been seized in the UK under Operational Pangea in each year since 2010.

Brandon Lewis: The Home Office does not hold this information. INTERPOL releases information annually detailing the total results of Operational Pangea from all participating countries.

Grenfell Tower: Fires

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will grant indefinite leave to remain for residents of Grenfell Tower who apply for that status.

Brandon Lewis: On 5 July, the Government launched a new scheme to allow individuals who were directly affected by the Grenfell fire to be granted 12 months’ limited leave to remain outside the Immigration Rules if they meet the eligibility requirements.We believe that 12 months is a reasonable and proportionate timescale to allow individuals to get back on their feet, access the benefits and services they need and consider future options. They will be able to apply for further leave in that time. Individuals who qualify for other forms of leave under the Immigration Rules will be granted leave beyond the 12 month period.

Asylum: Accommodation Centres

Stuart C. McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her target is for the maximum amount of time asylum seekers spend in initial accommodation; and in what proportion of cases that target has been met since May 2015.

Brandon Lewis: The Home Office aims to move asylum seekers from Initial Accommodation to Dispersed Accommodation within 19 days. However, some asylum seekers stay in Initial Accommodation for shorter or longer periods depending on their individual needs The Home Office closely monitors the length of stay in Initial Accommodation, however historic statistics on the proportion of people who have remained in initial accommodation for longer periods could only be provided at disproportionate cost by examination of individual records.

Visas

Carol Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much revenue was accrued to the public purse from the premium visa service in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15.

Carol Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much revenue was accrued to the public purse from the premium visa service in 2015-16.

Brandon Lewis: The statement of accounts for the Home Office is published on the .GOV.UK website. The annual accounts provide a financial and narrative summary of the activities of the Home Office. A link to the most recent available data is provided here; https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ho-annual-reports-and-accounts https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-office-annual-report-and-accounts-2016-to-2017

Passports

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for (a) passport renewal and (b) a first passport were classified as in progress in each month since January 2017.

Brandon Lewis: The table below contains information on applications that are classed as work in progress. These are applications where Her Majesty’s Passport office is not waiting for a response from the customer.  Applications in Progress   RenewalsFirst TimesJan-1729,69526,884Feb-1741,92031,695Mar-1749,87338,773Apr-1753,38937,051May-1736,49536,609Jun-1765,39944,561

Cabinet Office

Lobbying: Fines

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many organisations have been fined for failing to comply with regulations on third party campaigning set out in the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014.

Chris Skidmore: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 27 June 2017.The correct answer should have been:

One organisation has been fined for failing to comply with regulations on third party campaigning set out in the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014. The Electoral Commission announced on 19 April 2017 that it had imposed a civil monetary penalty on Greenpeace Ltd, as the organisation did not register with the Electoral Commission at the 2015 General Election. Greenpeace Ltd was fined a total of £30,000.The rules on third party campaigning at elections are set out in the Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act 2000. These rules were amended by the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014.Since the amendments made by the 2014 Act came into force, three organisations have been fined by the Electoral Commission. On 19 April 2016, the Electoral Commission announced that it had fined Steve Hart from the Centre for Labour and Social Studies £1100 for failing to deliver two donations reports on time. On 19 April 2017, the Commission announced that it had fined Greenpeace Limited a total of £30,000 and Friends of the Earth Limited £1000. Both organisations did not register with the Electoral Commission at the 2015 UK Parliamentary General Election before spending in excess of the registration threshold.

Chris Skidmore: One organisation has been fined for failing to comply with regulations on third party campaigning set out in the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014. The Electoral Commission announced on 19 April 2017 that it had imposed a civil monetary penalty on Greenpeace Ltd, as the organisation did not register with the Electoral Commission at the 2015 General Election. Greenpeace Ltd was fined a total of £30,000.The rules on third party campaigning at elections are set out in the Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act 2000. These rules were amended by the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014.Since the amendments made by the 2014 Act came into force, three organisations have been fined by the Electoral Commission. On 19 April 2016, the Electoral Commission announced that it had fined Steve Hart from the Centre for Labour and Social Studies £1100 for failing to deliver two donations reports on time. On 19 April 2017, the Commission announced that it had fined Greenpeace Limited a total of £30,000 and Friends of the Earth Limited £1000. Both organisations did not register with the Electoral Commission at the 2015 UK Parliamentary General Election before spending in excess of the registration threshold.